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Email Spam Question

by Mark Singletary
7 replies
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I recently signed up for a free WSO in exchange for my email address. Because of past experience, I have almost always used "tagged" email addresses so that I can see who is sharing my email address. So I created a new email address that has never been used elsewhere and was only for this WSO.

Sure enough the spam started. The vendor claims that they didn't share or sell my email address. But in this case only him and Warrior Plus and Goto Webinar (the seller signed me up I guess for a webinar - I didn't sign up with them) knew that email address.

I know people can get hacked or have malware that may reveal email addresses. But if I had something like that going on it seems I'd be getting Russian bride or Viagra type spam but I'm getting IM spam. Maybe we have IM/WF hackers?

Besides that theory, what else could it be besides someone willfully sharing or selling the email address?

Thoughts?

Mark
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Mark Singletary View Post

    only him and Warrior Plus and Goto Webinar (the seller signed me up I guess for a webinar - I didn't sign up with them) knew that email address.
    Originally Posted by Mark Singletary View Post

    what else could it be besides someone willfully sharing or selling the email address?
    Realistically, almost certainly nothing, in my opinion. Call me judgmental, but personally, I'd be satisfied that that's the explanation. But for myself, I honestly wouldn't be assuming that it was necessarily the person whose WSO I'd bought (I'm not suggesting you're assuming that, either).

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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
    I have had this happen too many times in the past. Something is wrong here. It's too easy to deny wrongdoing and everyone knows it.

    One fellow denied sharing my address a while back and when I asked him about it he said "well sometimes that just happens." No it doesn't. Sure there are programming issues or bugs or flaws but I believe, for the most part, it's purposefully sharing.

    Mark
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    • Profile picture of the author Paul Myers
      Mark,

      A single use tagged address? You're right. That doesn't "just happen."

      Report it to MikeLantz. PM danieljb and ask what the forum's policy is on this type of thing.

      When you get further email from the seller or the people they traded your address to, go to wheregoes.com and enter the link from the email. It will usually be a redirect, pointing to an affiliate offer. Report the spam, including the full message and the redirect chain, to the appropriate affiliate system. (Clickbank, W+, WarriorPayments, JV Zoo, etc.)

      If it's not through an affiliate system, report it to the seller's web host.

      If it points to a page at this site, report it through the help desk.


      Paul
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      Stop by Paul's Pub - my little hangout on Facebook.

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      • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
        Paul, the seller swears he did nothing wrong. It's been reported to the forum and I sent the headers to Thomas who is looking into it.

        I've reported it to Warrior Plus and they want to see who is sending email. That's not going to do any good and it seems to be just another polite answer from support but nothing will or can be done. I'm sure they will deny any knowledge of anything just like all other reports to them and others goes on deaf ears.

        The emails were sent through Constant Contact - maybe a 30 day trial?? The links aren't working - they go to a Constant Contact 404 page.

        This happens far too often on this forum for it to be a coincidence. Either hardly any Warrior - no matter their "stature" - can be trusted with an email address or someone else, like a processor, is selling or sharing the information.

        In this case with dead links, and a likely 30 day CC trial user, etc. it's all probably a dead end.

        Still the question is who "pays?" Could it be possible the WSO seller is really innocent?

        Mark


        Originally Posted by Paul Myers View Post

        Mark,

        A single use tagged address? You're right. That doesn't "just happen."

        Report it to MikeLantz. PM danieljb and ask what the forum's policy is on this type of thing.

        When you get further email from the seller or the people they traded your address to, go to wheregoes.com and enter the link from the email. It will usually be a redirect, pointing to an affiliate offer. Report the spam, including the full message and the redirect chain, to the appropriate affiliate system. (Clickbank, W+, WarriorPayments, JV Zoo, etc.)

        If it's not through an affiliate system, report it to the seller's web host.

        If it points to a page at this site, report it through the help desk.


        Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author Paul Myers
    Mark,

    You need to check the links through Wheregoes.com as soon as you see the spam. These twits play whackamole, as you've noticed. That's why I only recommended reporting to the web host if it's not an affiliate link.

    My experiences with reporting spam to W+ and JV Zoo have been very positive. It takes more than one report, though, as with any responsible provider.

    Clickbank is very good about this stuff. For JV Zoo and W+, if they don't do anything after repeated reports, start reporting the sellers. Enough of that and they'll be more careful which affiliates they approve.

    If you use Gmail or another free webmail client, report there, too. Just use the spam button. Enough of that and the source will end up blacklisted.

    With a single use tagged address, the odds it's anyone but the seller are extremely small. If one of the networks was compromised, you'd hear about it pretty quickly.


    Paul
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    Stop by Paul's Pub - my little hangout on Facebook.

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  • Profile picture of the author salegurus
    Originally Posted by Mark Singletary View Post

    I recently signed up for a free WSO in exchange for my email address. Because of past experience, I have almost always used "tagged" email addresses so that I can see who is sharing my email address. So I created a new email address that has never been used elsewhere and was only for this WSO.

    Sure enough the spam started.

    Mark
    Mark
    I've had the same experience.
    I have no doubt that there are vendors who are to blame...

    Theo
    Signature
    Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

    ― George Carlin
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  • Profile picture of the author lgibbon
    Banned
    That's normal here these days Mark.
    Not just for WSO's.
    If you use an email address in some of these leadpages forms in sig files
    you'd be surprised how many different emails you start getting in return for signing up once.
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